NBA suspends Metta World Peace for one game

The NBA announced Tuesday that Lakers forward Metta World Peace was suspended one game without pay for grabbing the Detroit Pistons' Brandon Knight around the neck and striking him in the jaw.

The incident happened with 1:43 left in the second quarter of the Lakers' 98-97 victory against the Pistons on Sunday at The Palace of Auburn Hillls. World Peace and Knight got into it as Knight tried to hold rebounding position against World Peace, who at one point during the tussle had his left hand come up and hit Knight in the face.

World Peace served his suspension Tuesday night while the Lakers visited the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. He will return for the Lakers' game Thursday night in Boston.

World Peace was given a flagrant foul, type one, on the play -- a punishment Knight didn't feel was severe enough because he said the Lakers' forward hit him with a fist.

"The play needs to be reviewed because he definitely threw a punch," Knight told the Detroit Free Press after the game. "It felt like he threw a punch. That's why I reacted the way I did.

"The play was over and he grabbed me around the neck. If someone grabs you around the neck, you're not just going to let that happen. You do what you need to get that person off you."

World Peace said after that game Sunday that Knight was "a small guy" while complimenting Knight's tenacity and saying he didn't know what school Knight went to (Kentucky) or whether he played point guard or shooting guard.

World Peace's most infamous moment occurred at The Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004, when he was named Ron Artest and went up into the stands to fight. He has continued to draw notice from the NBA for overly physical play, including a seven-game suspension late last season for an elbow to the head of Oklahoma City's James Harden.

Asked if World Peace's prior behavior contributed to him being suspended this time, Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said: "I'm sure that goes into it."